Thomas Lee was born in Ipoh, a town in Malaysia renowned for its cuisine, and he has brought the authentic traditional Malaysian hawker-style food to Melbourne at Chef Lagenda. Thomas worked as head chef at many restaurants in Melbourne. In 2001, Thomas took his expertise in Malaysian cuisine to Taiwan, where he spent two years as executive chef and consultant to two restaurants in Taipei.

On returning to Melbourne in 2003, Thomas’ passion for Malaysian food continued and he established his own business. In 2010, Thomas opened Chef Lagenda, realising a long-held dream to open a warm, welcoming, traditional Malaysian restaurant, which showcases the authentic cuisine of his home-town, Ipoh, and where food is fresh and tailored to the individual customer.

With 35 years experience, Thomas leads the kitchen at Chef Lagenda, and is joined by head chef Alan Chew, who also has over 30 years experience in Malaysian cooking. Alan established Chinta Ria in St Kilda, where he worked for many years, and he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Chef Lagenda kitchen.